Manicure kit



April 5, 1938- s. s. msm/N 2,113,547

i MANICURE KIT Filed Dec. 5, 193e INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES MANICURE KIT Stuart S. Joslyn, Chester, Conn., assignor to Hamilton C. Bates, Chester, Conn.

Application December 5, 1936, Serial No. 114,426

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in kits and is directed more particularly to the provision of an improved manicure kit or case for carrying and displaying various manicure articles.

It is one of the principal objects of the invention to provide a case having folding side walls and arranged so that the contents may be readily removed yet means is provided to prevent unwanted displacement of the contents. The case is simple in form so as to be economical to manufacture and is attractive in appearance.

It is another principal object of the invention to pro-vide a case which is so constructed as to conveniently carry various articles such as manicure items and also to hold those items in display position. As a particular feature the kit is arranged to hold bottles or the like and yielding means is provided to hold the bottles against accidental displacement.

As another object of the invention, the manicure kit includes a buffer and according to the preferred form of the invention the buer parts are arranged to co-operate with other parts of the kit to form a compact and neat case with the handle of the buffer adapted to function as the carrying handle of the kit. Further, by reason of the special construction, the buffer is adapted to serve more or less as a cover or top member of the receptacle.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a kit embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of the kit shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the bottom of the kit shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view to explain certain details of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

The case of this invention broadly includes bottom, side and end walls with a removable top wall or cover member which according to the preferred form of the invention is novelly adapted to perform a double function, as will appear.

In the drawing there is shown a bottom wall member 2 and end walls 4 extending upwardly from opposite ends thereof. Preferably the end walls 4 extend upwardly at right angles to the bottom wall 2 which is substantially flat, as shown, and are integral therewith.

That is, the bottom and end walls may be formed of a U-shaped member, such as of sheet metal, with the bottom of the U serving as wall 2 and arms of the U serving as walls 4. As will appear, walls 4 are adapted to move outwardly away from one another so as to increase the normal distance between their said upper ends. Preferably where the U-shaped member is used, it is formed so that the arms .are more or less spring-like so that they may be urged outwardly away from one another and tend to assume a normal parallel and upright position when released.

There are side wall members Il] hingedly associated with opposite sides of the bottom wall 2 so as to be adapted to swing between an upright closing position in abutting relation with the u end walls 4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and a position away therefrom, as shown in Fig. 4. With the side walls in closing position, they co-operate with bottom and end walls 2 and 4, respectively to form a folding receptacle having an open upper side.

If desired, there may be an auxiliary bottom wall 2 disposed adjacent wall 2 and the walls ID may b e hinged to this, all as shown. Further,

if desired, a covering C of suitable material may i be secured to inner surfaces of walls IG and extend over the wall 2, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The yielding end arms or walls 4 are provided with suitable openings I2, preferably adjacent their upper ends. Then what may be called a cover or top member I4 is provided to extend across the open side of the receptacle and it has tongues I5 extending from its opposite ends.

The member I4 is of such size and shape that it may extend as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with its tongues I5 seated in slots I2. Thus, since, as stated, the walls 4 tend to retain the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the member I4 is yieldingly held in position but may be removed by moving the upper ends of walls 4 outwardly relative to the bottom wall.

Preferably there is provided on the member I4 a handle part I6 which may, of course, take various forms. With this arrangement, the handle I6 is adapted to serve as the handle of the kit since when the tongues I5 are in engagement with slots I2 and the kit is lifted up by the handle the tongues bear on the upper edges of the slots so as to move the end Walls 4 and associated parts upwardly.

CII

According to the preferred form of the invention, the kit is particularly adapted for containing manicure items such as a nail file, a buffer, bottles of nail polish, polish remover and the like. By reason of this special construction, I have found that bottles or the like can be safely yet removably held in place within the kit.

For purposes of description, I have shown in Fig. 3 a plurality of bottles B supported on the bottom wall of the kit between the end Walls 4. Of course, when the side walls I are swung upwardly into abutting relation with the end walls, they are disposed adjacent the bottles.

If desired, a frame-like member such as 20 may be provided and this is adapted to rest on the bottom of the kit between the end walls 4. It is preferably of such size as to fit more or less snugly between the end Walls 4 so that it tends to stay in place and it is arranged to surround the bottles and tend to prevent lateral movement thereof and keep them in alignment. Of course, if desired, it may have a bottom so as to be traylike in nature and the bottom wall will, of course, rest on the bottom of the kit.

It will be appreciated that it may be desirable to provide some means for retaining the side walls I0 in upstanding relation, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Although various kinds of retaining means may obviously be provided, I have shown, for purposes of description, fasteners F which are common in form with one end attached to one wall IU and extending across to the other wall IU, to which its other end may be attached.

Now I have stated above that I preferably provide such a top or closure member for the receptacle as will perform a double function. I have already described how it is adapted to extend across the open side of the receptacle above the bottom wall 2 and between the end and side Walls, 4 and I0.

As is well known, one of the principal manicure articles is what is called a manicure or nail buifer. Although these may vary greatly in detailed construction, they commonly include a support, a handle and a yielding working body part.

By reason of the construction of this invention, my manicure kit includes a buffer and it is an important part of the kit-construction. That is, it not only is adapted to serve its ordinary bufng functions but it co-operates with various other parts of the kit so as to be capable of serving other functions.

Specically, I utilize the closure member I4 as the above-mentioned supporting member of the buffer and the handle IB as the handle of the buffer. It will be seen then that since the part I4 is readily removable the buffer may be readily included in the kit without loss of its buiiing function and at the same time it may serve to cover or close the receptacle while its handle is also the carrying handle for the kit.

The yielding working part of the buffer is indicated by B. While this may vary in structure it preferably does not differ appreciably from the working parts now known. Generally it consists of a yieldable mass of felt, cloth, rubber-like material or the like and covered by a piece of chamois or similar bufng material.

In any event, the body B" is associated with the side of the support I4 which is opposite the handle I6 so that when in engagement with the receptacle the body is inside. According to the present preferred form of the invention, the parts of the kit are of such relative sizes and so located relative to one another when in assembled position that the yielding surface of the body B is in engagement with articles carried in the kit.

That is, where bottles B, for example, are supported on wall 2, the closure or buffer parts are disposed directly over them with the upper ends of the bottles and yielding surface of the closure in abutting relation. It will be seen that the bottles are thus more or less held in engagement between the closure and wall members, I4 and 2 respectively, and it is for this reason that I sometimes refer to the closure or support part as a hold-down member. Obviously, of course, when the closure is released from engagement with the receptacle, the bottles may be removed upwardly from between the walls.

It is desired to point out that while I have shown and described a particular manner of releasably associating the closure with the receptacle, other means may be provided. That is, the closure I 4 may be caused to engage either the end walls 4 or side walls I0 or both, and the tongue and slot and yielding end wall arrangement referred to is not the only suitable means.

It will be seen that the kit of this construction is compact and convenient and that it is economical to manufacture and easy to assemble. Not only does the closure member eiciently function as a cover for the contents of the receptacle as well as provide means for carrying the kit, but it carries on its inner side an important part of the kit and in addition serves to hold down other articles within the kit.

Further, it is not essential that the side walls I0 be folding. 'Ihat is to say, the receptacle of the construction may vary widely in form and have relatively rigid or stationary walls with the top member removably associated therewith. In some cases too, the side walls may be transparent and this, of course, renders the contents visible.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the class described comprising in combination, a bottom wall, end walls extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom wall, side walls hingedly associated with opposite sides of said bottom wall for swinging between positions in abutment With opposite sides of said end walls and positions away therefrom, and a removable top member associated with said end walls whereby the kit may be lifted by means of the top member.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the class described comprising in combination, a botytom supporting wall, end walls extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom wall, side walls hingedly associated with opposite sides of said bottom wall for swinging between positions in abutment with opposite sides of said end walls and positions away therefrom, and a removable hold down member associated with said end-walls whereby the kit may be lifted by means of the hold-down member, said hold-down being provided with a yielding part for yieldingly bearing on articles supported on said bottom wall.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the class described comprising in combination, a bottom wall, end walls extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom wall which are provided with slots, side walls hingedly associated with opposite sides of said bottom wall for swinging between positions in abutment with opposite sides of said end walls and positions away therefrom, and a top member having tongues engageable with said slots whereby the kit may be lifted by means of the top member.V

4. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the class described comprising in combination, a bottom wall, end walls extending upwardly from opposite ends of said bottom wall which are provided with slots, side walls hingedly associated with opposite sides of said bottom wall for swinging between positions in abutment with opposite sides of said end walls and positions away therefrom, a top member having tongues engageable with said slots whereby the kit may be lifted by means of the top member, and means for holding said side walls in abutment with the end walls.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the class described comprising in combination, a bottom wall member of a certain area, end and side walls extending upwardly from adjacent marginal edges of said wall member to form a receptacle, an opposite pair of said walls being yieldable outwardly and provided with aligned slots, and a relatively rigid top member of approximately the same area as said wall member and having tongue-like extensions on its oppo-site ends, all adapted and arranged whereby said yieldable walls may be urged outwardly so as to move said slots apart to permit insertion of said extensions therein and may then be released to lock the top member and walls together so that the kit may be lifted by means of the top member.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a kit of the I class described comprising in combination, a bottom. wall member of a certain area, end and side Walls extending upwardly from adjacent the marginall edges of said wall member to form a `receptacle, an opposite pair of said walls being yieldable outwardly and provided with alignedY slots, and a top member including an upper relatively rigid part of approximately the same area as said wall member having tongue-like extensions on its opposite ends and a lower yieldablesurfaced part for yieldingly bearing upon articles within the receptacle all adapted and arranged whereby said yieldable walls may be urged outwardly so as to move said slots apart to permit insertion of said extensions therein and may then; be released to lock the top member and walls together so that the kit may be lifted by means of the top member.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a manicure kit of the class described comprising in combination, a U-shaped frame member providing a bottom wall member and end walls extending upwardly from its opposite ends, side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of said wall member, the said frame and walls cooperating to form a receptacle, and a manicure buffer device extending across the top of said receptacle including an upper relatively rigid supporting part in removable engagement with said end walls and a lower yieldable-surfaced part disposed within the receptacle.

STUART S. JOSLYN. 

